Dec 8, 2016

Almost forgot that my friend got me a few bottles of premixed spices, such as allspice, carne asada, and Creole seasonings. These little helpers come in handy when trying to put up a quick fix meal. Per this case, grilled salmon ciabatta sandwich.Grilled salmon ciabatta sandwich -

Ingredients (for two)?

1 thick or 2 thinner salmon fillets

2 to 4 tomato slices

2 to 4 lettuce leaves

2 ciabatta

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

1/2 teaspoon whole grain mustard

2 tablespoons olive oil

Some salt

Some black pepper

Some Creole seasoning

How?If using one thick salmon fillet, evenly slice the fillet lengthwise for two sandwiches. Season both sides with salt, pepper, and some Creole seasoning.

Heat up the ciabattas then slice in half, or slice them in half first then heat up in the oven. Mix the mayonnaise, whole grain mustard, and a small pinch of salt in a small bowl and spread evenly on the sliced bread.

Gently wash the lettuce leaves and pat dry with paper towel. Also slice the tomatoes and remove the pulps. Don't just discard the pulps, instead, add it to the stew or save for other recipes later on.Heat up a grill pan and brush with some olive oil. Once the surface turns hot, transfer the salmon fillets over and sear till slightly browned on both sides. If using good quality salmon, it's ok if the center of the fish looks a little pink.To assemble, take half of the ciabatta and top with lettuce, followed by salmon fillet, tomato slices, and the other half of the ciabatta.

It's not necessarily to use mayo mustard mixture as a spread. Here's a great alternative, drizzle some olive oil to the ciabatta then grill it. Brush the ciabatta with garlic while still warm.

Garlic butter works just as well, but make sure the flavor won't overpower the salmon. Focaccia can be another great substitute also. Be creative and be free!

Dec 2, 2016

Key point for this recipe - using extra ripe tomatoes. Sometimes Asian stir-fry recipes calls for a small spoonful of granulated sugar, but instead of using sugar, why not just let the naturally sweet tomatoes do its job? On top of that, the pulps further making this stir-fry moist and juicy.Eggplant and tomatoes stir-fry with oyster sauce 蠔油燴雙茄 -

Ingredients?

3 eggplants (the long and skinny kind)

2 ripe tomatoes

1 small onion

1 pre-fried or baked tofu

1 cup king oyster mushroom (bite size pieces)

6 bok choy

2 garlic cloves

2 red chilies

2 tablespoons black vinegar

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce paste

2 tablespoons olive oil

Some sesame oil

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 small bundle cilantro

Some corn starch and water mixture (1:1)

How?Soak the pre-fried tofu in boiling or hot water for a quick moment then drain out the liquid. This will help in drawing out the excess oil from the tofu. Slice into rectangular pieces. Peel and slice the onion. Peel and slice the garlic cloves. Trim off the chili stems and chop the remaining diagonally. Give the cilantro a few chops. Chop the tomatoes in smaller bite size pieces. Chop the king oyster mushrooms into bite size pieces. Trim off the bok choy stems and separate into each individual leaves. Trim off the eggplant stems and slice the remaining diagonally. Handle the eggplant last because once cut, the surface starts turning dark when in contact with oxygen.

Drizzle enough olive oil to evenly coat the bottom of the pan and turn to medium high heat. Add in onion slices along with salt and pepper. Give it a quick stir and cook till the onion turns translucent. Add in garlic and chilies, cook till that wonderful garlicky aroma comes out but not burnt. Transfer the king oyster mushrooms and tomatoes into the pan and cook for about one more minute. The juice from the tomatoes provide just the right amount of moisture for the mushrooms, so make sure to add these two to the pan together.

Add in the eggplant and tofu pieces. Cook for a short moment then add in the bok choy. Season with oyster sauce, soy sauce paste, and black vinegar. Mix well and wait till the edges start to bubble. Taste and adjust with more oyster sauce or black vinegar if needed. Mix about 1 tablespoon of corn starch with 1 tablespoon of water first, pour into the veggies while gently stirring at the same time. The whole thing should start to turn gooey but not clumpy. Lastly, drizzle some sesame oil to add another layer of aroma. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

The final dish looks moist and juicy, but note that there's no extra water involved except for the corn starch mixture. It's all natural juices rendered from the fresh produce. There's a sweet taste from these veggies stir-fry, partly from the oyster sauce but mostly from these glorified veggies too.